League News

Four bowlers who play in the League are wished the best of luck in the British Senior Merit finals tomorrow – Saturday 27th July – just down the road in Wolverhampton. County Merit winner Josh Bradburn is a regular in St Georges’ Dennis Lewis Thursday Division side, Peter Farmer plays for Allscott Heath B in the same division and Sam Millward has …

The current league season is only just past the halfway mark but one Mid Shropshire club is already planning for winter. Allscott Heath aim to make full use of their new home, which includes an all-weather artificial green at the new sports complex, by launching a closed season league for bowlers from the Mid Shropshire area. “Our new facilities include an all …

It’s a Friday and the late John Lovett – one of the most popular bowlers to have played the game in Mid Shropshire land – would have been eagerly looking forward to having a game. Tributes poured in as news of his passing earlier this month spread far and wide. The Horsehay man died, aged 74, and his funeral will be at …

It wasn’t all plain sailing but the League’s young bowlers have kept a firm grip on the Shropshire junior inter-league championship. With Mid Shropshire hosting the under-18 competition at Wrockwardine Wood on Sunday 14th July, it was a case of home, sweet home for them after it had been cancelled last year. Captained by Luke Morris, Mid Shropshire A beat Tanners Shropshire …

What would the League do without Wrockwardine Wood this season! The Wrockites, with club secretary Louise Cotton at the helm, hosted two Mid Shropshire competition last weekend – the Junior Doubles and the Monday Merit finals (see full reports from both on posts below). And this coming Sunday – 14th July – Wood’s 2 greens will be the scene of the Shropshire …

Honouring those who have served the League and its clubs with distinction is high on the agenda of the July executive meeting on Tuesday the 2nd at the Bayley Club. Clubs have been asked to nominate people they feel should be awarded life membership of the MSBL at a meeting that will also feature competition and sponsorship updates, a Shropshire inter-league round-up …

Can John Breeze retain the title he won last year in such convincing style at Bylet? Can past winner Paul Beer, a sponsor of the competition, make League history by becoming the first bowler to win both this title and the Over-60 Merit in the same season? Can the three other past champions in the 16-strong field – Stuart Church, Les Mumford …

Competition secretary Rob Burroughs won’t know if he’s coming or going this weekend as he copes with a double header of League events. First up is the Mid Shropshire Junior Day on Saturday 22nd June at Albrighton from 10am. Both the Under-18 and Under-15 Merits will be played and the incentive for the League’s young bowlers to enter is that the host …

Congratulations from the League go the member club Edgmond who have been awarded a grant of £24,700 from the Inclusive Communities Fund – a £9 million initiative inspired by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The village club’s mission, aligned with the Commonwealth Games principles, is focussed on bringing people together, improving well-being, fostering growth, and putting our region on the map. Edgmond …

It's a wee bit later than hoped, but MSBL Newsletter No.3 (May/June 2024) is now available to download on here – go to Admin and then League minutes. It has already been set to club secretaries, who have been asked to circulate it in pdf format to all their members that they have email addresses for. But this post is a fail-safe …

The League has sadly lost 3 Life Members in very quick succession this year with the sad passing of first Barry Griffiths, then John Hughes and most recently Ron Adams. But the good thing is that at least the Mid Shropshire family got to honour them while they were alive and show real appreciation for all that they had done for the …

Here’s YOUR chance to help the sport’s governing body decide what needs to change so that EVERYONE who plays the sport we all love benefits. The League has been informed: “The British Crown Green Bowling Association is currently undertaking a period of significant transition to develop the sport to be ‘fit for the future’. “As a Governing body, we fully accept that …

It’s last chance saloon time for any club thinking about making a late application to join the re-launch of the Saturday Division. And 1 more entry is indeed the hope of the League’s officers to give it the perfect number of 8 sides and no byes when fixtures begin on 1st June. To date, 7 teams are lined up to play matches …

This season’s upturn in entry numbers for League competitions continues on Wednesday 8th May. The Under-25 Merit has attracted eight entrants who are heading for Donnington Wood for a 6.30pm start. And organiser Rob Burroughs was still hopeful of more late interest for a title that was won by Tom Killen last year when just four competed in it – see picture. …

It’s sadly turning into a terrible year in terms of losing legendary figures of the Mid Shropshire crown green scene. Following the recent losses of Barry Griffiths and John Hughes, the League has now been informed of the passing of Ron Adams. A past secretary, chairman and president of the neighbouring Highley League, Ron loyally served on the county executive for a …

Congratulations to the first title winners of the 2024 season – Sally King and Nat Moseley, who won the Dixon and Driscoll Doubles at Allscott Heath on Sunday 28th April when 24 pairs contested the competition. See report below and a superb picture spread on the League's Facebook group, thanks to League President Mike Potter!

The League is eager to ensure that two highly respected figures of Mid Shropshire, Shropshire and even British crown green bowling – both recently passed Life Members – get the send off they so richly deserve. Officers are hoping that the celebration of the life of John Hughes and the funeral of Barry Griffiths will both be well attended by bowlers as …

More sad news has reached the League just before the start of the new season in divisions 1-2-3 tomorrow. John Hughes, the former Mid Shropshire competition secretary up until the 1990s, passed away in the early hours of Monday 15th April in Telford Hospital. He also served the League as a junior selector and, in more recent years, helped current officers reinforce …

It is with much sadness that I write to inform the League's bowlers and followers of the sad passing of Barry Griffiths. A stalwart of the St Georges club, Barry passed away on Thursday 11th April at the Severn Hospice. He was assistant secretary of the BCGBA for many years and was made a life member of the association for his efforts. …

A packed programme of action in the Monday divisions – 4, 5 and 6 – starts tonight (8th April) with four new sides in a 13-strong sixth division. Newport D were Monday evening champions last year and must be among the favourites to take the title again in 2024. Meanwhile, delegates at the League’s April meeting heard there was a new progressive …